60 percent of consumers prefer restaurants that recycle

For takeout and catering, the restaurant now uses biodegradable plates, cups, glasses, flatware and bags whenever possible. Styrofoam, which is hazardous to make and difficult to recycle, has been eliminated.

In Springfield, Ill., the city’s oldest restaurant, Maldaner’s –– founded in 1884 –– has partnered with the local Green Business Network in a project called “Recycle Springfield.”

For takeout and catering, the restaurant now uses biodegradable plates, cups, glasses, flatware and bags whenever possible. Styrofoam, which is hazardous to make and difficult to recycle, has been eliminated.

The restaurant won’t sell water in plastic bottles, either, but the staff will happily fill any appropriate reusable water bottle free of charge.

And, although it won’t be visible to the customer, the staff has expanded the number of items it recycles. In addition to the cardboard already recycled, it has added paper, plastic, metal, clear and colored glass and dry-cell batteries.

“We’re encouraging employees to bring in these items for recycling, and customers can bring things in, too,” said Maldaner’s owner Michael Higgins.

Restaurants nationwide are starting to put environmental issues at the top of their menus. The National Restaurant Association reported last year that 65 percent of restaurant operators have recycling programs in place, 60 percent of consumers prefer restaurants that recycle and 51 percent of diners will even pay more to eat at an eco-friendly restaurant.

Also partnering with Maldaner’s in Recycle Springfield –– which encourages small- and medium-sized businesses and nonprofits to recycle –– are the local recycling companies DTK and Brown’s Recycling.

Higgins says making the changes requires little financial cost. He bought some recycling bins for the back of the house, and he forks over a little more cash for biodegradable tableware. But he used to pay to have garbage picked up five days a week; it’s decreased to three times a week, and he’s hoping to get it down to two. Those waste-hauling savings pretty much pay for the other changes.

DTK does not charge for collecting recyclables.

“Businesses contribute a lot to the landfill. We can have a big impact if we all recycled. It’s just the right thing to do,” said Higgins.

Food editor Kathryn Rem can be reached at kathryn.rem@sj-r.com. Follow her via twitter.com/KathrynRemSJR.